Gate-latch.



NJ. B. WALsBR.

GATE LATCH.

AgPI-IQATION FILED MAR. 13, 1909.

Patented July 20, 1909.

of Missouri, have invented a new and useful '3 of that class which is designed for use in spect to the keeper upon the gate-post so that ATENT OFFICE,

.TtJHN B. WALSER, OF LEBANON, MISSOURI.

GATE-LATCH.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN B. WALSER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lebanon, in the county of Laclede and State (irate-Latch, of which the following a specification.

It is the object of the present invention to provide, in connection with a latch keeper connection with gates mounted to swing in either direction from closed position to open position, a device which is associated with the latch lug, engaging the keeper, operable to move the keeper out of position to engage the latch lug so as to permit swinging of the gate in either direction when it is desired to open the gate. Ordinarily, in such latch construction, the latch elements, usually in the nature of loosely supported rings, are adapted to be lifted manually and then only one at a time so that a person passing through a gate is required to lift the keeper element nearest to him and to then swing the gate toward him to move ittoopen position.

As heretofore stated, it is the object of the present invention to provide means whereby both of the keeper elements may be simultaneously elevated so that a person wishing to pass through the gate has merely to actuate the means for lifting the latch element and then swing the gate in the direction in which he is walking.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in a latch mechanism of this class, a latch lug which is adapted to be so mounted upon a swinging gate of the type specified as to permit of vertical adjustment with reany appreciable sagging of the gate may be compensated for as far as the latch mechanism is concerned.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a latch constructed in accordance with the present invention and showing the same applied to a gate and gatepost. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view showing the latch proper and the operating member for the keeper elements in top plan, the said keeper elements being shown in section, and Fig. 3 is a detail vertical sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

In the drawings, one of the vertical bars of the gate is indicated by the numeral 5 and Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 13, 1909.

several of the vertical filling rods are shown Patented July 20, 1909.

Serial No. 483,176.

and are indicated by the numeral 6, and the latch post is indicated by the numeral 7.

The keeper of the latch embodying the mvention is secured upon the latch post 7 as is usually the case and comprises a body portion 8 formed with a longitudinally extending slot 9 and an attaching flange 10 through which are passed suitable securing devices 11 for attaching the keeper upon the latch post 7. Pins 12 are caried by the body 8 and extend transversely of the slot- 9 therein at points to each side of the middle of the slot and from these pins are loosely suspended keeper rings 13 between which the lug of the latch is received and confined when the gate is in closed position as will be presently described.

The latch lug above referred to is preferably formed from a length of sheet metal which is bent intermediate of its ends, upon itself, to afford a tongue 14: and the plies of the length of material, adjacent their ends, are bent at right angles in opposite directions as at 15 and then as at 16 to embrace the edges of the vertical bar 5 of the gate, there being a bolt or other securing device 17 engaged through the folds of the strip of material comprising the tongue lt and a nut 18 engaged upon the bolt for the purpose of holding these folds flat against each other whereby to cause the angularly bent portions of the plies to engage snugly with the ver tical gate bars 5 and thereby hold the latch lug comprised of the said tongue I l and the angularly bent portions, at any desired adjustment upon the said gate post 5. It will be understood from the foregoing description that when the gate is moved to closed position, the tongue 14 of the latch lug will ride beneath one or the other of the keeper rings 13 and that inasmuch as movement of the latch tongue in a direction to disengage from position between the keeper rings 13 will move one or the other of the rings into engagement with the end wall of the slot 9 in which they are mounted and thereby prevent such movement of the latch lug, the gate will be securely held closed and against swinging in either direction.

Ordinarily, it is customary in a latch of the class to release the latch by manually lifting one or the other of the rings 13 and then swinging the gate in the direction of the lifted ring, but such method of operation presents disadvantages such as have before been mentioned, and itis therefore expedient that some means he provided for overcoming these disadvantages. The means contemplated in the present invention is embodied in a lifting member designed to cooperate with the rings 18 whereby to raise or lift the said rings simultaneously so that the gate may be swung to open position in either direction. The lifter member just mentioned is in the form of a plate 19 which at one end is provided with a bifurcated shank 20, the furcations of which are formed at their extremities with spaced apertured ears 21 through which and an attaching plate 22, is passed a pivot bolt 23. This attaching plate 22 is comprised of a pair of plate members which are formed with seats or stamped up grooves 24 to receive the vertical filling rods 6 of the gate and have engaged through them bolts or other securing devices 25 which serve to clamp the plate sections in place upon the said filling rods, it being understood that they may be clamped at any desired point throughout the length of the rods and that they pivotally support the lifter plate 19.

The said plate 19 is formed in its body portion with an opening 26 through which passes the vertical gate bar 5 and opening into this opening 26 and extending from the end edge of the said plate 19 is a slot 27 through which projects the end portion of the tongue 14 of the latch lug, the portions of the plates to each side of the said slot 27 underlying, each, one of the rings 13. From the foregoing, it will be understood that upon swinging the lifter plate 19 upwardly, the rings 13 will be correspondingly moved and to such degree as to permit of free passage of the latch lug 14 therebeneath. In order to support the lifter plate 19 in position with its free end directly beneath the keeper rings 13, the attaching plates 22 are provided at the lower edges with lateral lugs 28 upon which the furcations of the shank 20 rest.

From the foregoing description of the invention it will be understood that upon swinging the plate 19 upwardly upon its pivot, both of the keeper rings 13 will be simultaneously raised out of position to confine the latch lug let and that consequently the gate may be swung to open position in either direction, the latch lug passing freely beneath the said rings.

hat is claimed is 1. In a device of the class described, a latch lug to be supported upon a gate capable of swinging in either direction, a keeper having gravity elements adapted to confine the said lug and hold the gate by which it is carried against swinging in either direction, a plate to be adjust-ably supported upon the gate, and a. plate having a bifurcated portion straddling the said adjustable plate and pivoted at the ends of the furcations thereto, the said plate having also a portion straddling the latch lug, the said last stated plate being capable of being swung vertically to simultaneously engage and lift the gravity elements of the keeper.

2. In a device of the class described, a latch lug to be supported upon a gate capable of swinging in either direction, a keeper having gravity elements adapted to confine the said lu and hold the gate by which it is carried against swinging in either direction, an attaching member, and aplate having a bifurcated portion straddling the attaching member and pivoted at the ends of its furcations thereto, the said member having also a portion straddling the latch lug, the said plate being capable of being swung vertically to simultaneously engage and lift the gravity elements of the keeper.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence-of two witnesses.

. JOHN B. VVALSER. lVitnesses FRED P. KoBY, W. I. l/VALLAQE. 

